mayer



Nov. s, 192s. Re. 17,124

W. MAYER v ITRAILER 'HOIST lAND COTJIILR Original Filed OG'C. 7, 1925 3She 5-'Sheet l ATTORNEY Nav. 6, 192s. I Re. 17,124 A w. MAYER TRAILERH'oIs' Ann coUPLER Original Filed Oct. 7. 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORM//LLJAM MA YER.

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS Nov. 6, 1928.

Y w. MAYER TRAILER HOIST -AND COUPLER Original Filed Oct. 7*. 1925 34Sheets-Sheetl INVENTOR I/l/)LLJAM MA Ys/a BY W96'.

ATTORNEYS Reissued Nov. 6, 1928.

UNITED .STA

` WILLLAM Merlin. or NEW "Yoan, n. y.

TRAILER Hors'r AND oo'nrmn originar No. mais, anni my s, ieee, semi"reissue *f1-led ecember 4,

` This invention relates to' -vtrailerhoists couplers 4and has for anobg'ect to providenn yun-proved yconstruction which may he readilymanipulated lh-y the vdriverfof .a tractor for readily raising yandlowering the front end 4et the trailer and for causing Ya ready connec-'tion and disconnection of lthe trailer with the tractor.

Another obieet of the invention is to provide 'an improved throw-outmechanism #for a trailer hoist and coupler Where/inthe driving or powermechanism will be immediately thrownout 4of operation. as soon las Jthehoist has reached its extreme upper or 'lower Aposition.

A. stili further object, more. specifically, is to provide .a trailerlio-ist and coupler vwith means for turnin 'on the power for causing anactuation o te'various parts "and also means tor automatically restoringthecon- "trolling parts to their 'torn-1er position so as toautomatically throw olf the pow-er. when the hoist and lcoupler havereached their destined position. l

Another object olf the invention is to provide an improved structurewhich will ette-ct a coupling 'between power tractors or rtrucks withtrailers designed or `receiving heavy loads, the structure heiligsuchalso -asto permit the raising 'and 'lowering Iof one end vof atrailer and 'its 'load during the coupling and uncoupling notion.

An additional object 'of 'the invention is to provide an improvementover my col-pending application, SerialNo. 44,518., the iinprovementconsisting principally in `the mechanism for automatically throwing `outthe hoisting coupling means.

ln 'the accompanying drawings- Figure l is aside 'vi-ew of part of atract-or with a 'trailer associated therewith, vsaid tractor fandtrailer 'disclosing` an embodiment vof the invention. A I y `Figure 2 isenlarged vertical Isectional view through the frontpart of vthe showing,in Figure l.

Figure 3 is 'aview lsimilar to Figure "2 but showing the 'parts lin araised position.

Figure 4 is i showing t'he vparte@shifted to la "lowering `the trailer;

position for Figure 5 is .a v"section-al view 'through Fig-uvre r,Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary `Vsectional uview 'illustratingho-w' the Vpower 1s a vie-w similar to Figure 3 hut" 'mi 61,102, men:amener `7 w25.` Animation for 1925. Serial No. 152,707.

thrown off when thel hoist mechanism has .been lowered toits ext-reniedow-n position.

vFigur-.e7 is a fragmentary sectional `view through Figure Qon line 7&7.y

A In trailers and 'tractors now in common use, various means have beenprovided .for .connecting the trailer with the tractor and .also variousmeans have been `provided for operai',- ing this connection to raiseyand lower the front end of the trailer so as to properly effeet theconnecting and disconnecting. These Avarious hoisting or raising meanshave been `connected in .-soine :manner with a power :element of thetractor and, consequently, various means have been provided for training'on and oil the power. In the present invention, .an improved connectingstructure hasheen provided for the :hoist ,and coupler 4and :also animproved :control devioeintemittently ais- ;sociated with the rotherparts for throwing off the pow-er when :the mechanism is in either theupper-most or the lowerniost 'rpesition. The invention also includes a'coupling y .structure which functions to :take care of ex ceedinglyheavy loads. During the coupling `and umoouplinrg, the structure .actsto raise and lower .eiectivel-ly, not only the coupling mechanism, hutonelend of trailer with 'thuelomd Referring 'to the accompanying:drawings by numerals, l indicates .a traie-r and 2 a traetor. -The`tractor 2 is :provided with an engine of .any @desired supplied atransmission Bof any desired ltype, vsaid rtransmission heilig providedwith arsh'aft 4 rotated whenever the eng-ine of 'the tractor T2 is run-L ning. This s'halitis .adapted `to rotate in :one `directioncontinually. A pinion 5 is splined shaft 4l and, therefore, :continuallyrotates therewith, said pinion hei-ng shifted back land ortl-i alongshaft 4 hy the forked member 6 rigid-ly secu-ned. to Vthe rod 7. y vThis rod fat one end is Jprovi-'ded ywith -a- `pin i8 extending throughthe slot 9 (see Figure 3) which is formed in fthe lower end of 1theihand lever 10. 'The hand lever 10 is pivotal'ly mounted at l1 `so thatfthe operator may Lgrasp the grip l2' and swing the lever hack Landlforth as desired for moving the pinion "5 to the position shown inFi'gure, Figure '2 or Figure 4. Normally, the pinion-5 is lin theposition shown in Fig- -u-re 'f2 which an inoperative or neutralpesition.

To cause the hoist to raise "the trailer', lever 11G Ais moved -to 'the'dotted position shown n Figure 2 manually. To canse ftriler vto belowered or to cause the Ahoist mechanisinto move downwardly, lever 10 ismoved to the yidly" secu`red'to the gears 14 ,and 15. An intermediategear 1wheel or idler 16 continually meshes with gear- 14"and ispositioned so that when the pinion is'shifted tothe position -shown inFigure 4, said'pinion willbe brought into mesh with the' gear wheel orvidler 16." lVhen the pinion 5 is in the position shown in `Figure 3, itis in mesh vwith the gear wheel 15. As the idler 16 is smaller than gearwheel14, this arrangement of gears will permit a multiplied force orleverage Aon the s haft 13 when the same acts to lower the coupling heador pin-'17. The shaft 13 carries a clutch member 18. which is splinedthereon and'which is pressed against the clutch member 19 looselymounted on shaft 13, said action being caused by the spring 20'. The

clutch member 19 is rigidly secured in any desired mannerto the sprocketwheel 21 car- `vrying the chain 22 which passes over the au sprocketwheel 23rigidly secured to the shaft 24 (Figure `5), which shaft'isrigidly secured to the worm 25, said worm in turn beingcony maticallymoving the parts to aineutral position when the head 17.` has reachedeither its tinuallyy in mesh.v with` the-worm lgear 26. When the clutchmembers 18 `and 19 are in engagement and shaft'13 is being rotated, thehead 17 will be moved positively upwardly ordown'wardly 'Suitable meanshave'been provided as hereinafter Idescribed. for autouppermost orlowermost position. In Figures land 2, the parts are shown 1n theirneutralV or inoperative lposition with shaft 13 stationary and thetrailer restingon the support or turntable 27 mounted on the tractor 2.The trailer 1 has a turntable 28 carried by suitable members 29 securedto the trailer 1. The turntable 28 is provided with an opening orbore 30for receiving the ref!` duced coupling portion 31 of head 17. Thiscoupling portion is providedk with an annular groove 32 for receiving alocking member or catch 33 whenever the trailer is to be con- Y nectedto the tractor. If it should be desired The driver of the tractor cannotconvenyiently seeV and in fact, usually cannot see any to disconnect thetrailer 1 from the tractor,

the catch 33 would be moved to an openposi tion manually and then leverlO'would `be moved over to the dotted Vposition shown inv Figure 2. Thiswould-causethe pin-ion 5 to .move-with gear vwheel 15 and thereby rotatethe shaft 13 in such a direction as to cause the part of the head 17 orassociated mechanism p neutral position shown in Figure2.

and',"consequently, cannot readily determine vwhen to move the lever 10lback to a neutral or inoperative position. Therefore, mechanism hasbeen provided to automatically move theparts to a neutral position and,consequently, all the driver does is to move lever l0 over to the dottedposition shown in Figure 2 and the parts will immediately begin tofunction to raise the front end of the trailer to its extreme upperposition whereupon-the vpower will be thrown off automatically.. In

Figure 3 the parts are shown raised to almost a 'fullposition and. whenraised 'to the dotted 'positionshown in Figure 3, the partswillautomatically function to open theclutch and shift pinion 5 to theposition shown in Figure` 2. This takes place by reason of the shoulderv34 striking the lower end of the enlarged p0rtion 35 "of rod 36. Thisrod is raised to the dotted, position-shown in Figure 3 and in turn 1will raisevor shift the bell cranklever 37. It

with a slot 44 through which extends the pin of bar 7. The bar 7v isprovided with a bracket or projectionl 46 pivotally connected at 47 tothe link 48 which in turn is pivotally connected at 49 to an extension50 of the cam 51, which'V cam is pivotally mounted at When the cam 51moves to the right as shown in Figure 3, it will strike the link 43 andraise the same to the dotted position. Vhen the rod 36. has beenelevated to ythe. dotted position shown in Figure 3 it will swing lever37 to thc dotted position shown in Figure 3 which will pullrod 7 untilthe pinion' is moved to its Thissame movement will cause the bracket46topush link 48 until cam 51 isin the dotted position shown in Figure 3vwhereuponlink 43 is raised so that part of the link carryingthe v notch53 will be out of engagement with the end of the lever 54. It will benoted that as the link 43 `moves to the dotted position shown in FigureY -1 2, it will swing, lever 54 and thereby disconnect the clutchmembers 18 and 19, said disconnection taking placeslightly before pinion5 moves to a neutral position. This action of shifting the pinion 5automatically, does not require the attention of the driver. The partsare left in this position until it is .desired to again lower the head17 whereupon the driver will manually move the lever 1Q to the positionshown in Figure 4. This movement causes the pinion 5 to mesh with thegear Wheel 16 and will also shift the links 43 and 48 until the rod 36has been moved so that it will project a short distance above theturntable As the power begins to rotate the lill) Lil) gear wheel itwill let rdown the head 17 and if necessary, pull the same downwardly.The gear `wheel 2G, shown i-n Figure 2, is provided with .athreaded'bore whereby the same is threaded onto the screwf 'which isrigidly secured to the head 17. As the head 17 moves downwardly, thelower surface of shoulder 34 will strike against the lug or project-ion39 as indicated in Figure 6 and rock somewhat the bell crank lever 37whereupon the link 43 is .shifted longitudinally toward the front and asit is moved forwardly, rod 7 will be .shifted so that the pinion 5 willbe moved .lfrom the position shown in Figure 4 to that .shown in FigureAs the rod 7 is shifted, link 48 will be pulled and cam 51 willL beagain moved to a vertical position yas'show-n in dotted lines in Figure6 whereupon `the link is moved out of engagement with the lever 54. ltwill thus be seen that vto lower' 1 the 'trailer it will only benecessary for the driver to shift 'lever 1'() to the position shown inFigure 4 and then aliow the mechanism to automatically function. v

As above described, when it is desired to lower the trailer or the head17, the `driver 'moves the lever 10 manually 'to the positionv shown inFigure 4 and the remaining mechanism will' function to automatically.shift the rts to the neutral `position whenthe head liiis been lowered'to the desired extent. The clutchmembers 18` and 19 and lever 54 areprovided as an auxiliary means for .throwing out the power when the headlhas reached 'its extreme upper position. As the trailer moves upwardly,the parts are inthe 'full line position shown in Figure 3. vAs thetrailer nears its highest position, rod 36 willy 'begin to swing bellcrank lever 37 and as it begins to swing this lever it will pull link 43longitudinally and will swing lever 54 on its pivot 56 and said leverwill automatically begin to move the clutch member 18 away from clutchmember 19 so that the power is gradually disconnected lat the Sametimethat the pinion 5 is moved to its neutral position. The parts are soproportioned 'that vsubstantial'ly at the time that the pinion 5 movesto its neutral position shown Figure 2, cam 51 will function to`disconnect link 43 from lever 54. The movement in the other directionby rod '7 will not cause the lever 54 to function until it strikes pin56 as the upper part thereof will swing to one side asrthe upper part isconnected to the lower part by a hinge 54. A suitable spring 57 acts -onthe lever to cause the same to again assume its position in engagementwith the notch 53 `when permitted.l As above'mentioned, themechanismoperates to automatically throw pti' the power when head-17reaches its destined position whether or not it is lan up position .oradown position.

position where the load is raised to the high- There are in fact, threepositions, namely, an eXtreme `up est poi-nt as shown in dotted lines inFigure 3. The second posi-tion is shown in `Figure f6 where the load isIleft elevated fand .the pin oif while in Figure -2 the turntablel28'funcl l tions to actufate the red 3G to cause the :power to belthrow-n off.' In the intermediate or third position shown in Figure1|6, the projectien or 'lug 'functions in connection with `the shoulder34`fand through bell' crank lever 8" 37 and associated parts to cansethe power to Ibe thrown oil. i

When the power is thrown olf :automati- 'caily,1the :clutch fimotionsfirst or before the gears have beenentirely disengaged, whereby .saiddisengagement. is done easily. By adjusting the effective length of thelink 48, the clutch may be caused to function .sooner lor later.

When the parts move to their down'or lowermost position, the pin 35 willbe forced ydownwardlyand movebellfcrank lever 37 and link 43 to thedotted position lshown in Figure 6. This movement will .cause the link43 @to 4pull toward the right in Figure 6 against the upper end ofthevupper section of lever 5.4 and this will cause the upper section toswing around pin S56". This swinging movement will continue until theparts assume substantially the dotted position shown in Fi re 6 MU andthe clutch is moved to a disengage posi` tion. Asthe partsassun'iesubstantiaily the dot-ted position shown in Figure 6, `member 52will function to fully release the upper part of the lever 54 and permitthe spring 2O 1F05 to again close the clutch 18 against .the action ofspring 57 which is comparatively weak in respect .to spring 20.

' The throw-out mechanism has been shown with a particular form ofcoupling means but H0 it will be evident thatthe throw-out mechanismwill properly function withl different forms of coupling'and raising andlowering means provided the parts are so formed as to cause the lever 37and link 43 to function.

What I claim is:

1. A trailer hoist and coupler comprising interlocking coupling members,one of said members Iacting also Ias a hoisting member, means forraising and lowering said hoisting 121 member, means for y automaticallyydisconnecting the means for raising and lowering said hoisting memberwhen the hoisting member vhas reached either of its veXtreme positions,said means including a gear shift rod, 125 and a lbell cranklevervoperatively 'associated with said hoisting member so that the bellcrank lever will be moved in one direction when the hoisting member hasreached its extreme upper position and moved in the op- 13u Vpositedirection when said hoisting member has moved to its extreme lowestposition.

2. The combination with a trailer hoist and coupler having a hoistingstructure, means for raising and lowering saidhoisting structure andconnecting mechanism for connecting said raising and lowering means withthe engine of the tractor,'said connect-ing mechanism including aplurality of. gears, one of which is slidably mounted whereby it maybei-brought into mesh with other gears, of a vlowering means will movesaid bell crank lever in one direction when the raising andlowering'means have moved to its upper extreme position yand willmovesaid bell crank lever in the opposite direction when it reaches 'lits extreme lower position.

3. The combination with a `heavy duty tractor and trailer, of a hoistand coupler comprising interlocking hoisting and coupling structures,driving means for raising and lowering said hoisting structure whilethere'is a heavy load on saidtiactor, means or'vconnecting said drivingmeans with the vpowermechanisiii of the tractor, and a slit ving memberfor shifting said connect-ing means to cause said hoisting structure tobe moved-upwardly and downwardly and connect and disconnect thehoist-ingand coupling structures.

4. The ycombination with a heavy duty ltractor and trailer, of a hoistand coupler comprising interlocking hoisting and coupling structures,Adriving means ,for 'raising vand lowering'said hoisting structure whilethere is a heavyload thereon, means for connecting said driving meanswith the power mechanism of the tractor, a sliding member for shiftingsaid connecting means to cause said hoisting structure to be movedupwardly i and downwardly and connect and disconnect the hoisting'andcoupling structures, manually actuated means for moving said slidingmember in sucha direction as to cause the engine to be connected withSaid,V driving means, and automatically actuated -means fordisconnecting said engine vfrom said driving means, said automaticallyactuated means functioning when said driving means reaches its highestposition. y

5. A trailer hoist and coupler, comprising an apei'tured memberconnected with the trailer, a pin mounted on the tractor, means forraising and lowering said pin, said pin being adapted to engage saidapertured member for raising. said trailer and alsofor actingfascoupling means for connecting the trailer with the tractor and means.forautomatically disconnecting the means for raising and lowering thepinwhen the pin has `reached either of its eXtreme positions, said meansincluding a gear shifting rod, abell crank lever for shifting said rod,and means co-acting with said pin for shifting the bell crank lever asthe pin nears either of its lextreme positions.

6. A power throw-out for trailer lioists and couplers which includes ahoisting pin and driving mechanism for raising and lowering the pin,said driving mechanism being provided with a series of gears, saidthrow- ,out mechanism including a pinion adapted `Vwith a hoistin pinco-acting with the lower part of the trailer and means oroperativelyraising andr lowering Vsaid pin, a manually actuated lever forconnecting the power ymechanism with the, pin forfact-uating the pinland vautoiiialtically actuated Imeans for disconnecting said powermechanism, Asaid last mentioned means including a rod moved in onedirection by said'pin when said pin has been elevated to its extremeupper position and moved in the oppositedirection by the bottom ofv saidtrailer whenl the pinv has been moved to its extreme lower position,

ka lever actuated by said rod, a link actuated by said lever, and meansactuated by said link :for shift-ing thenieansnjconnecting the powerfrom'said power meansfwith said pin. 8. In a trailer hoist and coupler,a hoisting pin, a source of power and a driving structure connectingsaid source of power with the pin forl operatively ,raising and loweringthe pin, saidY pin being positioned to engage the bottom of a. trailer,a reciprocating memberfor throwing in and out said driving means, a linkfor automatically moving said shifting means,fa bell crank leverformoving said link longitudinallyand a rod rfor actuatingfsaid bellcrank lever, said rod beingcarried by said pin, said rod being slidinglymounted in said pin and positioned to be raised by said pin when it isapproaching its extreme upper position and is lowered by thebottom ofsaid trailer when the pin is moved to its extreme lowest position.

9..:[nfal trailer hoist and coupler, a vertically movable pin providedwith a screw, a gear having a threaded bore for receiving said screw,means for manually rotating said gear for moving said pin, and areciprocatsoi.

ing rod automatically actuated by the pin and the load to be raisedthereby for disconnecting said means when the pin has reached itsextreme travel in either direction.

10. A trailer hoist and coupler, comprising a hoisting member adapted toengage the bottom oi' the trailer for hoisting the same, driving meansfor raising and lowering said hoisting member and means for connectingsaid driving means with the power mechanism of the tractor, a slidingrod for shitting said connecting means to cause the-hoisting member tobe moved upwardly and downwardly and to disconnect the hoisting memberfrom the power means, a link for reciprocating said rod, a manually,7actuated lever for shifting said rod, a bell crank lever for shiftingsaid link, and means for operatively connecting said bell crank levervwith said hoisting member so that when the. hoisting member is moved toits lowermost position the trailer will cause the bellcrank lever to beshifted in one direction and when thev hoisting member is moved to itshighest position said hoisting member will cause the bell crank lever tobe shifted in the opposite direction.

11. A trailer hoist and coupler for trailers adapted to carry heavyloads, comprising a supporting member connected with the trailer, ahoisting member mounted on the tractor, means for raising and loweringsaid hoisting member, said means including a plurality of trainsofgears, a pinion adapted to be brought into mesh with either train ofgears, and means for rotating the pinion, said cou ling member beingadapted to engage sai supporting member for raising said trailer andalso for acting asa coupling means for connect-ingv the trailer with thetractor, manually actuated means for shifting said pinion from one trainof gearsto the other, and automatically actuated means for shifting thepinion from either train of gears to a neutral posit-ion, said lastmentioned means including an actuating member carried by said couplmgmember, said adapted to engage said supporting member for raising saidtrailer and also l'or acting as a coupling means for connecting thetrailer with the tractor, a manually actuated member for connecting saidraising and lowering means with the coupling member so as to cause thecoupling member to function, and automatically actuated means fordisconnecting said raising and lowering means from said coupling member,said automatically actuated means including a gear shifting structureand a clutch shifting structure.

13. A trailer hoist and coupler for trailers adapted to carry heavyloads provide-d with a raising and lowering pin acting as a coupling andmeans for actuating said pin, while there is a heavy load on saidtrailer, a manually actuated. memberfor causing said. means to be throwninto functioning position, automatically actuated means for causing saidmeans to be moved to a position whereby they will not function, a clutcharranged in the means for raising and lowering said pin, and means`associated with said automatically acting means for causing said clutchto be opened when the pin is moved to its eXtreme position in onedirection.

14. A heavy duty hoist and coupler for tractors and trailers, comprisingpower means for actuating said hoist and coupler for raising andlowering one end of the trailer and its load, a manually actuated memberfor causing said power means to be thrown into functioning position,automatically actuated means for causing said power means to be moved toa non-functioning position, and a connecting mechanism connecting thepower means with the engine of the tractor.

WILLIAM MAYER.

